Chrysanthemum plant named `Canton`

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named `Canton`, characterized by its rounded uniform plant habit; medium-sized anemone spray-type inflorescences that are 5.1 to 5.7 cm in diameter; attractive lavender quilled ray florets and light yellow to yellow disc florets; numerous inflorescences per plant; and good postproduction longevity with inflorescences maintaining good substance and color for about three weeks in an interior environment.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Dendranthema grandiflora andreferred to by the cultivar name Canton.

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe inventor in Salinas, Calif. The objective of the breeding program isto create new Chrysanthemum cultivars having inflorescences withdesirable inflorescence forms and floret colors and good post-productionlongevity.

The new cultivar originated from a cross made by the inventor inNovember, 1992, of two unnamed proprietary seedling selections.

The cultivar Canton was discovered and selected by the inventor as aflowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlledenvironment in Salinas, Calif., in August, 1993. The selection of thisplant was based on its desirable inflorescence form and floret colorsand good post-production longevity.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken in acontrolled environment in Salinas, Calif., has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Chrysanthemum are stable and reproduced true totype in successive generations.

The cultivar Canton has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of `Canton`. These characteristics incombination distinguish `Canton` as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Rounded uniform plant habit.

2. Medium-sized anemone spray-type inflorescences that are 5.1 to 5.7 cmin diameter.

3. Attractive lavender quilled ray florets and light yellow to yellowdisc florets.

4. Numerous inflorescences per plant.

5. Good postproduction longevity with inflorescences maintaining goodsubstance and color for about three weeks in an interior environment.

The new Chrysanthemum is similar in ray floret color to theChrysanthemum cultivar Rochelle (disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.7,768). However in side-by-side comparisons in Salinas, Calif., undercommercial practice, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed fromplants of the cultivar Rochelle in the following characteristics:

1. Leaves of plants of the new Chrysanthemum have parallel sinusesbetween lateral lobes whereas plants of the cultivar Rochelle havedivergent sinuses between lateral leaf lobes.

2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have anemone quill spray-typeinflorescences whereas plants of the cultivar Rochelle have spoon daisyspray-type inflorescences.

3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have larger inflorescences thanplants of the cultivar Rochelle.

4. Ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum are lighter in colorthan ray florets of plants of the cultivar Rochelle.

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew cultivar.

The first sheet is a colored photograph comprising a side perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of `Canton`. This photograph shows thecolors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in coloredreproductions of this type. Floret and foliage colors in the photographmay differ from the actual colors due to light reflectance.

The second sheet is a black and white photograph comprising a topperspective view of inflorescences of the cultivar Canton showing leftto right: adaxial, abaxial and lateral surfaces.

The third sheet is a black and white photograph comprising a topperspective view of the abaxial (top of photo) and adaxial (bottom ofphoto) surfaces of leaves of the cultivar Canton at three differentstages of development, left to right: mature, intermediate and immature,showing the differences in size and lobation development.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe plants grown in Leaminton, Ontario, Canada,under greenhouse conditions which approximate those generally used incommercial potted chrysanthemum production. Four unrooted cuttings weredirectly stuck in a 15-cm container. Measurements and numerical valuesrepresent averages for a minimum of four typical flowering containers.

Botanical classification: Dendranthema grandiflora cultivar Canton.

Commerical classification: Anemone quill spray-type pot Chrysanthemum.

Parentage:

Male or pollen parent.--Unnamed propietary seedling selection.

Female or seed parent.--Unnamed propietary seedling selection.

Propagation:

Type.--Terminal tip cuttings.

Time to rooting.--Seven to ten days with soil temperatures of 21C.

Rooting habit.--Fine, fibrous and well-branched.

Plant description:

Appearance.--Perennial herbaceous anemone quill spray-type potChrysanthemum. Stems initially upright, then outwardly curving giving arounded appearance to the plant. Uniform habit and freely branching.Five to seven lateral branches develop after removal of terminal apex(pinching).

Plant height.--18 to 23 cm.

Foliage description.--Leaf arrangement: Alternate. Leaf size, fullyexpanded. Length: About 7 cm. Width: About 4.5 cm. Leaf apex: Mucronate.Leaf base: Attenuate. Leaf margin: Palmately lobed, sinuses parallel.Leaf texture: Abaxial and adaxial surfaces slightly pubescent. Veinsprominent on abaxial surface. Color: Young foliage adaxial surface:147A. Young foliage abaxial surface: 147B. Mature foliage adaxialsurface: 147A. Mature foliage abaxial surface: 147B. Venation abaxialsurface: 147B. Venation adaxial surface: 147B.

Inflorescence description:

Appearance.--Anemone spray-type inflorescence form with quilled-shapedray florets. Inflorescences borne on terminals above foliage, arisingfrom leaf axils. Disk and ray florets arranged acropetally on acapitulum.

Flowering response.--Under natural conditions, plants flower in theautumn/winter in the Northern Hemisphere. At other times of the year,inflorescence initiation and development can be induced under shortday/long night conditions (at least 13.5 hours of darkness). Plantsexposed to 1.5 to 2 weeks of long day/short night conditions afterplanting followed by photoinductive short day/long night conditionsflower about 46 to 50 days later.

Postproduction longevity.--In an interior environment, inflorescenceswill maintain good color and substance for about three weeks.

Quantity of inflorescences.--About 5 inflorescences per floweringlateral stem, or 25 to 35 inflorescences per plant.

Inflorescence size.--Diameter 5.1 to 5.7 cm. Depth (height): About 1 cm.Diameter of disc: About 2 cm.

Ray florets.--Shape: Quilled, straight, very long corolla tube. Size:Length: About 2.5 cm. Width: About 3 mm. Apex: Rounded. Margin: Fusedquill tube. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Orientation: Slightly upright,positioned about 30° to the peduncle. Number of ray florets perinflorescence: About 24. Color: Adaxial surface: 75B/75C, base white.Abaxial surface: 75B, base white.

Disc florets.--Shape: Enlarged tubular, apex dentate. Size: Length:About 9 mm. Width: Apex: About 2 mm. Base: About 1 mm. Number of discflorets per inflorescence: About 172. Color: Immature: 154A. Mature:Apex: Light yellow to yellow. Base: 154A.

Peduncle.--Aspect: Flexible, angled about 45° to the stem. Length: Firstpeduncle: About 3 cm. Fourth peduncle: About 6 cm. Texture: Pubescent.Color: 143A.

Reproductive organs.--Androecium: Present on disc florets only. Anthercolor: 12A. Pollen: Moderate to low, 13A in color. Gynoecium: Present onboth ray and disc florets.

Disease resistance: No known Chrysanthemum diseases observed to date onplants grown under commercial greenhouse conditions.

Seed production: Seed production has not been observed.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named `Canton`, as illustrated and described. 